Health insurance can be worth it, proof inside...

[K_W]

I am now very glad I have health insurance, even if it's costing me an arm and a leg.

A little over a week ago my wife woke up at 1 am with "extreme" abdominal pain. She decided she wanted to go to the ER. They did tests and a CT and gave her some morphine, and sent her home 3 hours later with a diagnosis of "severe constipation". Long story short, after more symptoms arose, and after visits to the doctor over the next few days, it turns out it likely was food poisoning.

She's all better now and this morning I open my e-mail to find a summery of charges for the ER and doctors visits...

ER visit: $5,676 - PAID
doctor 1: $635 - PAID
doctor 2: $107 - PAID

My Cost: $200 ER co-pay​

 

[rockhopper46038]

Odd. Hosipitals must have "one size fits all" ER billing policy. That bill exactly duplicates my ER bill from when I had a kidney stone, except my ER co-pay was $100.

I do NOT wish to have any more kidney stones.

 

[CountryBoy19]

I pay $2366/year in premiums, taken out of my paycheck pre-tax (likely the case with 95% of people).

I think it is absolutely worth it.

Rough estimate of what the Ins has save me over the last year.

15 doctors visits with $10 copays, saved about $60/visit if I didn't have insurance: $900
$5 copays on prescriptions: ~$250 saved
100% coverage of all accidental injuries (no copay or deductible): $1500

What I will save in the future:
My wife is about to go in for a minor outpatient surgery (her consultation is Monday), that will save me several thousand I'm sure.
100% maternity coverage is likely to save me tens of thousands of dollars in the up coming years.

All that for roughly $1800 of take-home money that I give up.

Health Ins. is absolutely worth it, especially if it's group health that is partially paid for by your employer.